


A Photo of Us

by SpaceRune



Category: Gintama
Genre: Canon Typical Themes, Feels, Gen, Grief/Mourning, short and sad, spoilers for episode 358 or chapter 649
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-02
Updated: 2018-11-02
Packaged: 2019-08-14 16:32:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16496195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpaceRune/pseuds/SpaceRune
Summary: Shortly after their battle in space has ended, Sakamoto finally has time to grieve over Nobunobu's death.





	A Photo of Us

**Author's Note:**

> I was impressed and surprised by the bond that developed between Sakamoto and Nobunobu in the short time they shared together. Sakamoto's despair was evident as he watched Nobunobu die. I decided to explore his grief a bit more. This is written in first person from Sakamoto's perspective.

I sit here with my hands shaking. Why are they still shaking? The battle is over, we are safe now...well, most of us are. I just want to find one decent picture of us, but the teardrops keep wetting the screen, making it difficult to scroll. All these pictures and not a single good one. Each time I tried to get a picture, he would block his face, put his hand up, or look away. He would always say something like, “we’re in the middle of a war,” or “hide your phone when there are guards around”. I just wanted memories of our time together, no matter the circumstances. But he’s just too stupid to understand something like that.

…

Well, he _was_ too stupid, I guess. Losing comrades in war never gets any easier, does it? I still can’t believe he’s gone. Somehow, I always told myself that we would all make it out together. I always thought I’d be able to take him to some dive bar and we would drink until we couldn’t stand. I wanted that so badly. But I guess I didn’t know how much I wanted it until now. 

I hope Mutsu understands why I had to step away. I'm so happy she's OK. She saved my life and she means the world to me, but I just couldn't express that happiness now. I think she understands I saw her face when I told her that Nobunobu...didn't make it. God damn it. It's so hard to accept. Those words don't belong together!

Nobunobu is my leader, comrade, and friend. All these words belong together. But...Nobunobu is...no! That sentence is impossible to finish in my mind. If I could just find one photo of him smiling...

“Hey,” Mutsu says as she takes a seat by my side.

I guess she didn't want to let me be alone too long. 

“Mutsu…” My voice cracks as I say her name, “I'm just tryin’ to find a nice selfie of us, a-and I can't find a single one. Why didn't he let me take a good picture?” 

I start sobbing again. Mutsu hugs me and then pulls out her own phone. 

“I don't have a photo, but I took a short video. You guys were arguing and I wanted evidence of how infuriating you guys could be. Here.”

She places the phone on my lap. I wipe my tears in hopes of not getting her screen dirty too. She presses “play” and there we are. There's my dumb buddy with his stupid hair and his grouchy face. What were we arguing about? Oh, I was bothering him to take a picture together. A smile begins to creep on my face, but my lip is still trembling. In the video, I place my arm on his shoulders. I must have cracked some ridiculous joke because he starts laughing. It's this big uproarious laughter, very unlike his usual stuffy self. And then we are both laughing. I remember this moment. I was laughing at him because I had never seen him laugh like that. I wish I could remember the joke I made. 

The video cuts off and I put the phone down. I'm still smiling, but tears are streaming down my face again and they just won't stop.

“Th-thank you for showing me this,” I manage to say, “at the end, we're both laughing. I-I wanna get a screenshot from it and get it framed.”

“We will,” she says as she rubs my back, “I heard he died a hero.”

It's absolutely true. His words and actions stopped the hostilities between us and the Amanto. But- 

“I didn't want him to die a hero. I wanted him to live as my friend.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading. Feedback is always welcome.


End file.
